Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-03-11
ON A RICE PLANTATION.
Manner in which the Fields are Flooded.
A Picturesune Sight.

A Picturesque Sight.
AS o as the germ root pushes out
underneath the grain in search for food
a minute point is visible above the ground
reaching up for light and air. This is the
embryo stalk and corresponds with the
germ root. The plant is now in the
proper stage for forcing and the stretch
water should be put on at once. The
water is at first turned on deep, entirely
covering the surface of the squares and
the young plant, drinking in the life Civ
ing fluid. commences to real its head
aloft and reach up for light and air. The
river water is seldom clear-always more
or less tinged with midland the ten
der shoot battles manfully with its semi
translucent covering to bask in the COM
forting rays of the sun.
After the rice has become sufficiently
stretched, OF a few inches high-a period
extending through from two to ten
days-tle water is Stacked down to what
is known as ''slack water gauge" SO as
to show the tops of the plant and give it
necessary air and sunshine. If the plant
is longer than the water is deep, which is
generally the case. it floats its upper
leaves on the surface in long waving
lines across the squares-a singularly at
t~ractive and beautiful picture. 1t seldom
happens. however, that the whole planta-
ton is under the same treatment at the
same time. for with 500 or 600 acres to
sow, it is a difficult matter in spring,
with frequent Interruptions from rains
and bad weather, to seed down 50 large
al acreage in time for any one spring
tide for flowing. A large plantation will
run five or six drills and put in some
times s~iXtv-five or seventy acres daily;
but even with as rapid work as this it is
impossible to get all in contemporaneous-
ly. Consequently is is a onmon thing
to see, perhaps, one-fourth of the squares
under the stretch water. another fourth
under charge of the ''gun squad" wait
ing for the tender point to shoot; another
series under the sprout water and the re-
mainder in process of planting. all at
once. This necessarily adds greater in
terest and diversity to the process and
prospect.
Sometimes, too, the rice comes up
mixed with "volunteer;'' this is the pro-
duct of the grain shaken out during the
previous harvest and scattered broadcast
over the land. This can generally be re-
moved by the hoe. but where it is very
thick sometimes necessitates replowing
and seeding. thus throwing late a por-
ton of the crop. This volunteer rice is
hardy and prolific and externally similar
to white rice. but the objection to it is
that the berry is red and greatly reduces
the grade of rice with which it is mixed.
besides totally uniting it for seed. TIC
destroy this obnoxious tare the fields are
sometimes thrown into dry crops for a
year or two, or kept under water for a
like time.
1t will be remembered that each square
is under separate control. and. except
where two or more are temporarily
united by the check banks washing
through. can be flowed and drained in
dcpendcntly at the pleasure of the planter,
A walk over the banks of a plantation al
this period is replete with interest: al
every step the ''fiddlers'' scurrying from
under your feet and ducking into theil
holes. each one as he disappears waving
aloft in defiance his disprOpOrtionate
manacle. Wonder are small squads OF
negroes in twOs and tlrees. dragging
with long wooden rakes the floating
trash and stubble blown by the vino
in masses against the lee banks anC
piling it on the pathways. Ovel
there the rattle of the grain drills is
heard seeding down the few belateC
squares. Here is the trunk minder will
his assistant hard at work repairing {
r leak. On the canal bank is the overseel
r in consultation with the planter on hi!
daily visit to the fields, his little sail boa
l rocking ut the wharf down by the
5 quarter. Attention is called to a defec
t tive trunk or a dangerous bank; stretch
t water tomorrow. must be turned on
I No. 6 and No. s. and sprout water let of
} from II and %. The long cord of thu
, submerged thermometer is drawn in han'
over hand. its reading carefully takel
and the mean temperature of II waite
for the month in the overseer's hand,
note book is compared with that of las
year and dependent operations deduce'
, and determined. From the high ant
dry squares on the further side come
the casual pop of the musket, Will
. flocks of DAVIS and hungry crows circl
overhead, awaiting their opportunity +
i settle down on the s%prouting grain. Ev
y erything works in its appropriate groov
an | little is left to chance.
The stretch water is held at the slacI
@ gauge from twenty to forty days whe
the ''dry root" and the leaves correspond
r. ing to it have put out The amphibiou
and pampered plant has now had enoug
of its stimulating though strictly temper
6 ate beverage, and is ready for a period {
prohibition or dry growth.-Souther
Bivouac.
Ravages of the Divorce Disease.
When one thinks of the comparativel